BP meets oil-spill payment deadline

WASHINGTON — BP has met its July 1 deadline to pay the federal government for the initial costs of responding to the Gulf oil spill.

The Obama administration says BP paid two bills totaling about $71 million earlier this month. The government had set a Thursday deadline for the largest of the two bills, which charged the company $69 million.

The administration says the oil company is still reviewing and processing a third bill for $51.4 million. The White House has long said that as the responsible party, BP must pay all costs associated with the response to the spill.